Who looked FAB-BOO-LOUS?!

We saw some faboolous Halloween costumes over the weekend! But, these by far -- beyond cupcakeMAG approved!

Make-up artist/hair stylist to the stars, Cassi Hurd channeling Madonna circa 1980!

Princess Lolly from Candyland

Our very own writer, Jenny Ford AKA Marge with her hubs, Homer!

Another one of our FAB cupcakeMAG writers, Candace & her hubs as The Queen of Hearts & The Mad Hatter! 

Our pumpkins...

I was inspired this year by the Design*Sponge DIY project, but I'm notoriously impatient and just free-handed my pumpkin with a spoon and steak knife. Maybe next year, I will take more time on it. :) Matt's is the bigger of the two. I like how you can see Indy in the background.

WE WANT TO TAKE OUR COUNTRY BACK

“THEY ARE TAKING AWAY MY AMERICA”

It was last year during one of those now infamous TOWN HALL MEETINGS where the elected representative wanted to meet with people in his district and have a meaningful exchange of ideas and feedback from his constituents that this woman in the back of the room rose and tearfully went into a diatribe about how she was afraid and her voice cracking with anguish and pain declared “they are taking away my America”

I will not forget that although I have forgotten which Town Hall meeting it was and exactly when it happened because there have been so many others just like that encounter that it is all melding together into one big, incoherent message that resonates with Teahadists and which Republicans are not willing to repudiate.

It is one of the many askew and repugnant signs of that old ugly snake raising its head: the snake of racism, intolerance, xenophobia, homophobia and religious fanaticism. Only these Teahadists don’t really know it, they are sadly, too ignorant to realize that this is really the issue as they carry a flag with another snake that reads: “don’t tread on me”

To “take back America” from whom; take it back to where? I think that any of the Tea Baggers would be hard-pressed to answer those two basic questions. It is also one significant point that they want “LESS GOVERNMENT, SMALLER GOVERNMENT OR NO GOVERNMENT AT ALL”, they want “MORE FREEDOM”. And another one was: ‘LISTEN TO US”

It is then that you have to ask: Less government from what? From having regulations? Less government from interfering in our private sex lives? Less government to offer safety nets? What is it exactly what that less government entails?

You also question this mantra of “SMALLER GOVERNMENT” What in the hell are they talking about? “Government is too big” they will repeat like parrots. But our government is as big as it needs to be if you consider that we are arguably the number one super power in this world of ours. To have anything else is a defeatist, self-destructive outlook that would make our country a third rated, third world nation.

And then there is the beauty: “MORE FREEDOM” More freedom to do what? More freedom for whom? Are you now deprived of some freedom that you have to go out and carry a sign protesting that deprivation? Is there some freedom you stand to lose if your Tea Bag Party does not win? I dare say NO.

I would also like to say to these Teahadists: I will start LISTENING TO YOU when you have SOMETHING TO SAY.

In the blog

http://www.ourfuture.org/users/terrance-heath

Terrance Heath puts it very eloquently: “This is not your country. Nor is it mine. That we were born here, along with our forebears hardly matters. This has been the message of the Tea Party since its incorporation — and of conservatism itself for more than a generation — to anyone who doesn't' fit their demographic, in terms of race, religion, politics, etc.

It is most often expressed by the Tea Party's declared desire to "Take our country back." This is not your country. Nor is it mine. It's theirs, and they're "taking it back." This raises a few very important questions: "Who are they taking it from?", "Who are they taking it for?", and "How do they plan to take it?"

So, if you want to take back your America bear in mind that it is not yours to take because this is also my America, it is everybody’s America you stupid, racist, xenophobic douche bag. And I close with the insult which I feel is not even sufficiently harsh to express my disdain and repulsion for the Teahadists.

GLORIA VANDERBILT ~ EXCEPTIONAL WOMAN

From time to time I run across something that truly tugs at my heartstrings.  Today it is the story of Gloria Vanderbilt’s life. 

The article in Veranda magazine about this genuinely talented and driven woman warmed my heart.  She truly sought a life surrounding by those she loved.  Son Anderson Cooper, in a foreword to his mother’s book The World of Gloria Vanderbilt,  wrote “what’s extraordinary about his mother are her survival skills.”

The photographs below are just beautiful, and I hope that you ENJOY them as much as I did!

Gloria Vanderbilt 1956

Vanderbilt's present living room

Vanderbilt with husband Wyatt Cooper and their children

Patchwork bedroom in Vanderbilt's former townhouse

Vanderbilt's former Southhampton retreat

Aunt Gertrude Whitney's Fifth Avenue mansion

I hope that you have enjoyed this post on the multi talented Gloria Vanderbilt.  To read this heart warming story, pick up your copy of the Nov/Dec issue of Veranda magazine.  It is well worth the coins.

See you soon,

Teresa

xoxo

SMS - Goat Cheese, Olive and Thyme Muffins, combines with the Gutsy Cooks Oxtail Stew and Polenta - Plus Some

It is Hanaa's week to host for Sweet Melissa Sundays! Hooray for Hanaa of Hanaa's Kitchen! Such a wonderful baking friend and always helpful with cooking/baking tips and knowledge. Hanaa chose Goat Cheese, Olive and Thyme Muffins. Since I have missed the last two weeks with the Gutsy Cooks, who also post on Sundays, I caught up by making a full dinner by combining the menus from both groups. Hopefully I am not confusing anyone here =).

I stuffed my muffin cups with batter since I decided on baking a full batch. Melissa says the recipe only makes 12 muffins but the last 3 times I have baked this recipe, using the different add-in ingredients, the recipe has made more like 18 muffins.

Melissa's baking time is a little too long, according to my oven. The muffins were done in 18 minutes.

The filling with goat cheese, olives, and rosemary is delicious! I wish I had added more rosemary because the fresh herb seemed to get lost in my muffin.

Thank you Hanaa for the easy and delicious choice. Look at other SMS's bakers twists on the recipe by clicking here or go to Hanaa's blog here for the recipe. Now, ON TO GUTSY COOKS!

I may not have been posting the blog BUT I have been cooking right along with the Gutsy Cooks. My excuse, after looking for work in the Northwest for the last 10 months, I have officially started a new job and what a relief~! I am exhausted getting by at 4:15 a.m. and not getting home till after 7 p.m. but I will take the schedule any day over the stress of job hunting.

Now on toooo this week's menu chosen by Monica as the last week of October: Oxtail Stew with Wine and Herbs over Polenta. The recipes are found in The Illustrated Kitchen Bible by Victoria Blashford-Snell and to get the recipes, you will need to buy her cookbook. The author has not given permission for the host to post the recipe. Dessert is last week's Vanilla Custards.

My first time EVER trying oxtail anything. I went to my local butcher, the only place out of 4 major grocery stores to carry oxtail, and the butcher only had 1 package weighing 2 pounds. They sell out on a regular basis - who knew? I ordered another 5 pounds to be picked up next Friday, encase we loved the stew. My husband and I enjoy trying new dishes and this is definitely new for the both of us. I already had beef soup bones with lots of beef still attached so I made up the difference of 4 1/2 pounds with beef.

The recipe calls for fresh thyme and rosemary, a drizzle of honey, salt and pepper for seasonings.

Chopped onions, carrots, fennel, garlic cloves (I added 4 minced) and 2 hot red chiles are all sauteed until tender (about 5 to 6 minutes) then add with the browned oxtail tail and beef bones. A bottle of hearty red wine Cabernet Sauvignon was added as the liquid base for the stew to slowly braise in.

2 1/2 hours later, the oxtail stew came out of the oven and smelled amazing with all the slow roasted vegetables and meat. The sauce had a deep brown color and the flavor picked up all the fresh herbs, vegetables, and meat to make an amazing gravy, poured over the polenta with freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

I was raised around brown and white rice, potatoes, and pasta for versions of side dishes. Polenta is a newer dish for me, in fact, this recipe will be the third time I have made polenta. We like it but the texture is still an adjustment.

The verdict is we LOVED the oxtail stew. Oxtail meat does not taste like beef and pulling the meat off of the bone takes a little doing. Definitely tender but a different texture and the meat can kind of a sweeter, different taste that I liked but just can not put my finger on to compare with anything else I have eaten. I am curious to see what others already know about the meat so I can get a better idea of what is normal to expect.

Then there is the vanilla custard. I baked the custards in a water bath the same as the coconut custards we tried earlier ONLY this time I baked the custards a LOT longer. The custards baked along with the oxtail stew but only for 40 minutes at 300 degrees F.

What is not admire and enjoy as a true comfort food the a custard whose base starts with a fresh vanilla bean, simmering in heavy cream and whole milk? Whipped egg yolks and honey are whipped into a thick frenzy and the simmered and soaked vanilla bean mixture is slowly added. Pour into 6 oz. ramekins, set in a water bath containing boiling water and slowly bake until set. Did I mention what is not to like? What a relief to have several dishes turn out right.

I feel terrible saying such a think BUT the empanadas and coconut custards did not turn out and I was having a little trouble pushing myself to keep trying the next recipes. Now, I am glad we did! Thank you Monica, the creator of the Gutsy Cooks group, for choosing all the recipes for the month of October. Last night's dinner kicked butt and was delicious!

Here is the photos of the Empanadas and White Bean Soup for the week of October 17. I really added twists to the bean soup. First I did not blend the beans up in the puree. Also, I simmered the beans with a smoked ham hock. I later took the bone out, pulled the ham and added the pulled meat back into the simmered beans with celery and carrots. I omitted the Pancetta, even though I bought it because, well simply stated, I forgot.

I am not sure if this soup counts since I deviated a LOT from the recipe but we loved it.

The empanadas are a different story. I made a big mess trying and we really did want to like these. The dough is what caught us up and I already changed up the filling ingredients. I just could not do Tuna. The thought made my tummy flip-flop.



Maybe I rolled the dough to thick but the flavor was bland and dry.

I used diced pork with the chopped tomatoes and 2 tsp.'s of tomato paste along with a jar of chipotle corn salsa.

The filling was okay but the whole empanada was hard to eat more then one. I pulled out more salsa for dipping, still we did not eat even half of them. I felt bad posting a negative response but I think being part of a group is knowing that we all have different tastes and this just didn't hit ours.

I do want to try empanadas again, with a different dough recipe, since this was also a first for me to make and the idea was a wonderful one. Thank you Monica for widening our horizons in the kitchen!

JOHN SALADINO ~ DESIGN IN SANTA BARBARA

John Saladino and his talented staff of architects, James Taylor and Timothy Mace, and designer Nicole Hsu redesigned this beautiful east coast home.  The result is a stunning estate that looks out onto the Pacific.  ENJOY!

Get you copy of the November/December copy of Veranda magazine.  It is an absolutely beautiful issue!
John published his latest book, Villa, in 2009, and it is certainly on the top of my wish list!

See you soon,
Teresa

xoxo